Fall-Apart Caramelized Cabbage
This is one of the easiest, most delicious ways to cook down a whole head of cabbage until it's falling-apart tender. If the spiced tomato paste has reduced and the pan starts getting dry and dark before the cabbage is ready, just add a splash of water to loosen and let it keep going.
Servings: 4
Equipment
- Large cast-iron skillet
- Small bowl
Ingredients
- ¼ cup double-concentrated tomato paste
- 3 garlic cloves finely grated
- 1½ tsp ground coriander
- 1½ tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 medium head green or savoy cabbage (about 2 lb total)
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil divided
- Kosher salt
- 1½ cups water
- 3 Tbsp chopped dill parsley, or cilantro
- Full-fat Greek yogurt or sour cream (for serving)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350℉.
- Mix tomato paste, garlic, coriander, cumin, and red pepper flakes in a small bowl.
- Cut cabbage in half through core. Cut each half through core into four wedges.
- Heat ¼ cup olive oil in a large cast-iron skillet, over medium-high heat. Working in batches, if needed, add cabbage to pan, cut side down, and season with salt. Cook, turning occasionally, until lightly charred, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer cabbage to a plate.
- Pour remaining ¼ cup olive oil into skillet. Add spiced tomato paste, and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until tomato paste begins to split and slightly darken, 2-3 minutes. Pour in enough water to come halfway up sides of pan (about 1½ cups), season with salt, and bring to a simmer. Nestle cabbage wedges back into skillet (they should have shrunk while browning; a bit of overlap is OK). Transfer skillet with contents to oven, and bake, uncovered, and turning wedges halfway through, until very tender, liquid is mostly evaporated, and cabbage is caramelized around the edges, 40-50 minutes.
- Scatter dill over cabbage. Serve with yogurt alongside.
